Improvement in machines for printing spools



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Machine for Printing Spools. No. 159,651. Patentedfebfi 1875.

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UNITED STATES PATENT IRA DIMOOK, OF BOSTON, AND GEORGE DIMOCK, OF LEEDS, MASS.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR PRINTING SPOOLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 159.651, dated February 9, 1875; application filed May 14, 1872. v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, IRA DIMOOK, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, and GEORGE DIMOOK, of Leeds, in the county of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for Printing Spools, of which the following is a specification:

This invention consists in certain devices, or combinations of devices, for printing and embossing the ends of spools, whereby each spool, before it leaves the machine, may be embossed and printed in different colors on both its ends, with a reduced number of fountains, certainty in. feed of the spools is insured, breakage of parts in case of a spool sticking is prevented, and the work generally is performed with accuracy and dispatch.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of avmachine constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section of the same at the line a: m,- Fig. 3, a horizontal section at the line y y and Fig. 4, an under-side view of the table, showing, mainly, certain mechanism for operating the spool-receiver and spool-holders. Fig. 5 is an inverted plan of the mechanism by which the compound intermittently-revolving spool-receiver is operated.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondingparts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

A is the bed or table of the machine, supported in any suitable manner. B is a hop per, into which the spools are put or thrown promiscuously, and from which they are delivered, down a tube or trunk, O, to a shuttlerace, D, in front of an intermittently-reciprocating shuttle, E, each time the shuttle makes The tube 0 is constructed to receive or arrange and guide the spools in advance of one another, end foremost, down it, and so that they are delivered one at a time in a horizontal, but crosswise, position within the shuttle-race D, which crosses the delivery end of the tube 0, and is of a width to thus receive and hold each spool within it, ready to be conveyed by the shuttle to a spool-recated up and down among the spools in the hopper, thus catching the spools and directing them, as required, to the tube 0. There 'is also an agitator, consisting of rods H H,

attached to the filler, and working up and down within the hopper, for keeping the spools thoroughly agitated, and facilitating their entry within the filler. Said filler and agitator are both made to move at a higher velocity, or make a greater number of strokes within a given time, than the shuttle and other main working parts of the machine, so that, in case of the filler Gr missing aspool during any of its strokes, time will be given for the filler in its next stroke to make good the deficiency, and thus the tube O is kept supplied with spools. A cam, b, on the main driving-shaft I, operating within a yoke formed in a lever, J, will serve, as well as any other means, to actuate thefiller and agitator, said lever J being pivoted at 0, and connected by a rod, d, with the filler, or base-plate carrying the filler and agitator.

The spool-receiver, into or onto which the shuttle E projects each spool in succession, is a duplicate receiverthat is, it is made up of two receivers, F F, in one, each being capable of holding a single spool lengthwise and horizontally within it. This compound receiver is arranged to have an intermittent revolving movement about a vertical axis in front of the mouth of the shuttle-race, so as to present first the one receiver and then the other into a receiving position relative- 1y with the shuttle; then to remain stationary while the inking and embossing devices come forward and retire, and afterward to make half a revolution to change the receivers FFIoE.

with respect to the shuttle, and to provide for a repetition of the action of the inking or embossing and inking devices on reverse ends of the spools, as will be hereinafter more fuliy described; such intermittent revolving movement of the two receivers one-half of a revolution at a time also providing for the automatic clearance of each spool after being printed and embossed as required.

Each receiver may consist of a simple groove formed in a block mounted on a horizontal disk, K, that is carried by or attached to the upper end of a vertical tubular spindle or sleeve, L, which projects downward through the table. These grooves lie parallel with each other on opposite sides of the vertical axis of the compound receiver for reception of a spool each, S S, as shown in Fig. 2.

The means for operating the compound receiver F F, as described, may be varied; but the following answer every purpose: M M are horizontally-reciprocating slides upon the bed or table A, and arranged to move simultaneously in reverse directions, or toward and from each other, along the bed, on opposite sides of the compound spool-receiver. These slides, which may receive their motion from the main shaft I by gears e f g and pitmen h t, carry the inking and embossing devices. To the one of these slides is connected, by means of a pin, 70, passing through a slot, l, in the bed, a rack, m, which gears with a pinion or toothed surface, a, fast to a disk, 0, that is free to rotate around the lower portion of the tubular spindle L of the compound spool-receiver. This disk 0 carries a pawl, 19, which works into a ratchet, q, fast on the sleeve or spindle L, said ratchet having two oppositely-arranged teeth. Thus the rack m, which moves continuously with the slide to which it is attached, only operates the compound receiver F F during the one or back movement of said slide, and the pinion n is so proportioned that such receiver is moved just half a revolution each time.

The grooves composing the receivers F F lie with their lengths in direction of the travel of the slides M M, when said receivers are stationary, in order that the printing and embossing stampers N N and N N carried by the slides, may act upon the ends of the spools at the close of the advance movement of the slides.

To insure the compound receiver or separate receivers F F being held square and steady to the stampers when said receivers occupy their stationary position, which is necessary to obtain a proper impression, the tubular spindle L is provided with a squaring-disk, 0, having two oppositely-arranged flattened portions, r r, against which holders P l, acted upon by springs within boxes QQ, bear to retain the compound spool-receiver F F in position when stationary, said spring-holders yielding and riding over or against the intervening curved portions of the disk 0 when the spool-receiver is in motion.

The spools S S are held down in their places within the grooved receivers F F by spoolholders R R, having pins s s, which bear down on the body of the spools to hold the latter against displacement when receiving their impression. These spool-holders operate by their weight on the spools, and have an alternate and intermittent rising and falling motion first falling down on the spools to hold them to their places, and then rising to admit of the clearance of either spool after it has received its full impression on both ends. At certain periods, however, both spool-holders, R R, are down simultaneously to provide for the stampers N N N N operating conjointly upon the four ends of the two spools, as hereinafter more particularly referred to. This alternate and intermittent action of the spool-holders R R is produced as follows: T is a horizontal shaft, arranged directly across and under the tubular sleeve L, and receiving its motion by gears t a from the main shaft I. This shaft T carries reversely-arranged toes or lifters 'v 'v, suitably disposed along the shaft to act or lift successively upon an inner spindle, w, and outer spindle, w, arranged within the sleeve L, and connected, respectively, with the spoolholders R R.

U is a bent bar, attach ed to the bed or frame A, on the reverse side of the compound spoolreceiver F F to that on which the shuttle acts, and operating as a clearer to remove either spool S S, in succession after it has received its full impression on both ends. To this end said clearer is set to project obliquely into or over the advance end of the oif receiver when occupying the position shown for F in Fig. 2, so that when the two spool-receivers make their next half-revolution, the spool-holder It being then raised, the spool S will be caught by the forward bent end of the clearer, and drawn out of the receiver F into any suitable receptacle arranged to receive the printed or impressed spools.

To prevent breakage in case of a spool sticking or getting into improper position within the shuttle-race D, the shuttle E is operated by an elastic or yielding driver, composed, in part, of a slotted main lever, V, in

positive gear or connection with the shuttle,

and fitted to freely turn upon an upright rod, a. Fitted also loosely upon said rod is an independent branch lever, W, having a square or angular construction at its base or fulcrum portion, and resting at said part against a spring, 12, secured to the main lever V. Pins 0 c on the slide M serve, as the latter is reciprocated, and at or toward the close of its stroke, to act upon opposite sides alternately 'of the branch lever W, to throw and retire the shuttle, the projection of the spool by the shuttle taking place toward the close of the retiring motion of the slide M. Ordinarilythat is, when there is no obstruction to the throw of the spo0l-the levers W and V operate, through the intervention of the spring I), as a single lever; but in case of any obstruction to the free movement, of the shuttle or spool out of the shuttle-race, then the branch lever W, pressing with increased force on the spring b, causes the latter to yield, and so relieves the shuttle of action or strain.

The stampers N N N N are arranged in pairs for action in common or simultaneously on both ends of the two spools; but they are designed to print in different colors. Thusthe two stampers N N, carried by the slide M, may be used to print in red, while the stampers N Not the slide M print in blue; and inasmuch as the compoundspool-receiver F F, by its succession of half-turns and rests, reverses the ends of the spools to the action of the stampers, two fountains-a red and a blue one-answer in place of four to print in both colors on both spools-S S but if the printing were all to be done in one color it is evident that a single fountain only is required for printing the spools at both ends.

The general operation is as follows: Supposing the parts to be in position so that the shuttle E has just delivered a spool, S, into the receiver F, which is then stationary and lying across the mouth of the shuttle-race, the spool-holders It R then descend, and the slides M M moving forward, the stampers N N print the one in red and the other blue, on reverse ends of the spool S. During this action the shuttle retires. The slides M M then move back, and the compound receiver F F rotates half a circle, the spool-holder R still remaining down to hold on to the spool S, but the spool-holder B being raised. To-

nvard the close of the back stroke of the slide M theshuttle E is operated to deposit another spool, S, in the receiver F, as the same is brought round to face the shuttle. The spoolholder B then drops to hold onto the spool S, the-other spool-holder R continuing down upon the spool S. The slides MM move forward again, causing the stampers N N to act upon the ends of the spool S, and the stampers N N to give the second or finishing impression in red and blue on the reverse ends of the spool S to those previously presented to the stampers N N As the slides M M again move back the spool-holder R rises and liberates the spool S, for the clearer U, in the next half-turn of the compound receiver F F, to clear the spool S from the receiver F, and in due course the positions of the receivers F F relatively to the shuttle is again changed for a finishing action in the next advance movement of the slides upon the spool S, and first impression upon a new spool fed by the shuttle to the receiver F. Each spool-holder R It rises alternately to liberate its spool after the same has received both its impressions on its twov ends.

The stampers N N N N may be used for -embossing as well as printing. To facilitate their operation as printing devices, each pair, N N or N N is carried by a rocking or tilting base, 0 or 0 supported by trunnions d d in cheeks formed on the slides M M.

The action of these tilting stampers is such that during the back movement of the slides, and preferably during the early portion of their forward stroke also, both sets of stampers are presented face uppermost, to provide for the inking of them by their passage under inking-rollers or other inking devices; but as the slides M M move to complete their forward stroke, then the stampers carried by them are turned over or upset for the fourth of a circle, or thereabout, so as to bring their faces opposite and in line with the ends of the spools in the double receiver F F, for the purpose of printing or embossing and printing the spools.

Spring-followers P P, connected with the slides M M, serve, by their pressure against square or flattened sides of the base-pieces O 0 to hold the stampers, steady in both positions,in order that they may be properly-inked and be kept square to their impressing action on the spools.

The tilting of the stampers from one position to another and back again, as described, is effected automatically by slotted disks Q Q or their equivalents, on the ends of the trunnions of the base-pieces 0 0 the slotted sides of the slots in the disks catching alternately against opposite sides of fixed studs f f as the slides M M are moved back and forth.

What is here claimed, and desired to be secured by LettersPatent, is v "1. The reciprocating filler G, in combination with the hopper B and tubular duct 0, substantially as specified.

2. The reciprocating agitator H, in combination with the reciprocating tiller G, the hopper B, and the duct 0.

3. The combination, with the spool tube or duct 0, of the shuttle-race D and the shuttle E, when arranged in relation with each other substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

- 4:. The combination of a yielding shuttled-river with the shuttle E, the shuttle-race D, and the spool-duct G, essentially as specified.

5. The combination of the shuttle E with the intermittently-revolving compound spoolreceiver F F, in which the spools lie parallel, or thereabout, with the planes of revolution, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

6. The combination of the intermittentlyrevolving compound spool-receiver F F, in which the spools lie parallel, or thereabout, with the planes of revolution and the printing-slides M M or stampers, the whole arranged substantially as herein described,

9. The tilting Stampers N N N N in combination with the spring-followers O O and the slides M M, essentially as described.

10. The combination of the shafts w w of the spool-holders R R and sleeve L of the com pound spool-receiver F F, when arranged in relation with each other as described. IRA DIMOOK. GEORGE DIMOOK. Witnesses:

GEORGE H. RAY, EDSON S. Ross. 

